Who’s Criticizing Cuomo?

That’s the somewhat dismissive message from the NYS Democratic Party’s Executive Director Charlie King, responding to the “breathless” AP story about a letter circulating in Albany today. King:

“I read the breathless AP story about 40 local Democratic officials who disagree with Governor Cuomo’s budget. I looked at the list and recognize only some of the names and I am the Executive Director of the Democratic Party. The lack of state legislators on the list would have been the more fair and important story to report. On any issue, given the nature of the Democratic Party you should be able to find hundreds of differing opinions given the thousands of Democratic elected officials in the state. The New York State Democratic Committee recognizes the State’s fiscal crisis and stands strongly in support of Governor Cuomo’s budget.”

Among the people who signed onto the letter: 14 members of the New York City Council, who, I’m sure, know who Charlie King is. But King’s statement underscores the main point Celeste Katz made in her column this morning, where she quoted unnamed Albany people discussing Cuomo’s wrath.

“There certainly are some members of the Legislature who will, at the very least, think twice about adding their name to a letter that criticizes the governor,” one legislative source said.